def is_palindrome(word):
    ''' checks if word is a palindrome '''
    for i in range(len(word)):
       if word[i]!=word[-(i+1)]: # mismatch, no palindrome
            return False
    return True  # matches all the way, a palindrome

def is_palindrome_print(word):
    ''' checks if word is a palindrome, while printing diagnostic values '''
    for i in range(len(word)):
        print(i,word[i],word[-(i+1)])
        if word[i]!=word[-(i+1)]: # mismatch, no palindrome
            return False
    return True  # matches all the way, a palindrome

def is_palindrome2(word):
    ''' checks if word is a palindrome '''
    
    return(word == word[::-1])  # does word equal its reverse